Ace Part 1
by CrashIntoMe
Summary: Gambit returns to the X-mansion and becomes enamoured with Rogue - much to Logans chagrin...


Disclaimer : all Characters belong to Marvel, bla bla bla...you know the drill :) Hope you enjoy! feed back appreciated!  
  
Ace - Part 1  
  
Marie smiled sweetly to herself as she remembered how, just 5 minutes ago, Logan passed her in the corridor; the two exchanged a knowing glance, her lips curling softly into a gentle smile, his stretching to his trademark smirk. They passed by each other almost reluctantly; her skin burning as his worn leather jacket brushed against her arm, penetrating her black satin gloves. The tingling of her skin contrasted with the longing in her heart. She ached, and would always ache with the pain that he could never touch her in the way she wanted, they would always be shielded by fabric, by her mutant 'gift', or rather her curse... They said nothing as they passed each other, speaking only with the passion in their eyes, and as his confident footsteps echoed down the corridor behind her, she had to restrain herself from turning and running into his arms. She ran her fingers through the icy white streak in her hair, the smile curving her lips fading into a distant frown. She studied her reflection in the mirror, soft chestnut hair with a dramatic streak of silvery white, swept back from her youthful, porcelain face and draped over black satin clad shoulders, sparkling blue scarf knotted casually around her slim neck, blush, cupid bow lips pouted and down turned. Her frown deepened, as she attempted to reason with her mind. What was she thinking? She was far too young for Logan, far too immature. She couldn't figure out where on earth she had gotten the idea that he cared for her. When she drew his life force, she was almost sure she had felt something, felt some inkling of care, of love, of affection, of passion...no. It couldn't have been. He couldn't even touch her, for gods sake. Tears filled her dark eyes, and spilled down her cheeks, as she silently cried herself to sleep.  
  
Logan grinned slyly to himself as he turned the ragged page of the book he had 'borrowed' from Scott. He could still smell Marie's scent; a scent that read, in no uncertain terms: attraction. He breathed in deeply, trying to draw as much of her to himself as he could; he needed her, he realised, and from what he could tell of her disposition, she needed him in equal measure. She's so young, he told himself...but he knew that love doesn't understand age differences. Besides, however old he was, they would never know, so what did it matter? He pulled his shirt off, studying his rugged form in the mirror; defined chest matted with rough, curly black hair, rippling bronzed arms, knuckles scarred from the unsheathing of his adamantium claws...he looked young enough, almost virile if some of the whispers heard in the corridor about himself were believed to be true. Logan knew he had an effect of women; he was not vain about it, nor was he overly modest; he simply knew, an honest truth he did not apologise for, a very Logan thing to do. Stepping closer to the looking glass, he noticed the slight bags under his eyes, and suddenly realised the time; the silvery face on his leather wristwatch read 4 o'clock. Sighing, he realised he had spent the last three hours pining for Marie. He slammed One-Eyes book shut, and kicking off his jeans and slid himself under the rough blanket covering his single bed. Just before he drifted into dreams infected by Marie, he sensed a new presence in the Xavier Mansion...  
  
Remy ran his gloved hand across his 5 o'clock, or, he reflected with a grim smile, five day shadow. A lock of rusty brown hair slid over the red bandana tied over the unruly mass, which he duly brushed back, focusing his burning, unique scarlet eyes on the front door. A fleeting sense of dread washed over him as he contemplated his return...he hadn't seen Storm in years, were the so called 'X-Men' still a team? He swallowed his fear, replacing his wary visage with one of his trademark charming smirks. His hands, however, shook with apprehension, as he pressed the doorbell with a leather covered finger...  
  
The atmosphere in Xavier's office was palpable; Xavier could feel uneasiness surrounding him like a blanket, surrounding everyone. Logan stood at the very back of the room, muscular arms folded in a rather insolent manner, noted Xavier, with a look just short of pure disgust twisted his ruggedly handsome features. Ororo and Remy sat together on a leather couch, both looking incredibly happy to see their old friend. Xavier regarded Remy...it had been a while, to put it mildly. Remy looked no worse for his time alone though...his masculine jawline, roman nose and soft, sculpted lips created a devastatingly handsome visage to make any man jealous and drive any woman wild with desire. Soft, unkempt auburn looks were restrained from his face with a red bandana, and a beige overcoat barely hid his muscular, tall frame. Xavier could almost feel every woman in the room's sexual overtones towards Remy...it was still in question as to whether his unavoidable charm was in fact a mutant power, and a very potent one at that. Jean and Scott, ever his mountain of support, stood at Xaviers side, Scott studying the newcomer very warily...Xavier had often noticed that Scott felt a need to 'mark his territory' so to speak. It had been bad enough when Logan had joined the team. Considering Remy's, shall we say 'enthusiastic' libido, it was likely that Scotts behaviour would become increasingly erratic. Xavier sighed. It was going to be a long period of adjustment. He cleared his throat, and the room drifted into uneasy silence. 'Well, Logan, I'd like to introduce you to Remy LeBeau' The look on Logans face as Remy stood to shake his hand would have made a lesser man back off, but Remy knew just how to deal with people like this.   
'Bonjour mon ami' Remy drawled in an infectious mixture of southern drawl and French inflection. 'It is nice to meet de famous 'Wolverine' for de first time, non? It will be nice to 'ave a new addition to work avec' Remy grinned, letting loose a charming toothy smile, which did nothing but further twist the snarl on Logans face.  
'Sure bub, nice to meet you too' Logan growled through clenched teeth. Logan could smell treachery. Right now, he could have smelled Remy from a mile off. He turned to Xavier 'So, Prof, is this...cajun gonna be an X-Man?'   
Remy looked a little put out.   
'Mon ami!' he exclaimed. 'I been an X-men before, I think I know a little about it, non Ororo?' Storm returned her friends warm smile.  
'Indeed' She intoned. 'Remy here is quite gifted with martial arts, and he can charge any object with kinetic energy;his speciality is playing cards however, which earned him the codename 'Gambit'.' Logan physically sneered.  
'Well, that's great bub. Can we go now?' Xavier inwardly groaned;he could see this was going to last a while.  
'Of course. I just wanted to officially tell you all that Remy, codename Gambit is rejoining the X-Men.' Jean, Ororo and Remy smiled back. Logan and Scott did not.  
  
The next day, Logan sat in the dining hall, casually picking at a half eaten plate of breakfast. Outwardly, he didn't look any angrier than he usually did. Inwardly, he was fuming with the strength of a force 10 gale. He couldn't believe that Xavier had just let that Cajun back into the X-men without a thought! Where the hell had Gambit been all this time anyway? How the hell did he know whether it really was Gambit? He could have been a shape shifter like Mystique. Logan sneered, stabbing his fork into an errant tomato, splashing scarlet puree all over Marie, who had just taken the seat opposite him.  
'Gawd, would ya watch whatcha doing sugah!' Logan looked up, and a wry smile replaced his sneer; she had called him sugar. Inwardly, he grinned, and all but forgot about the Cajun. He had come back to the x mansion not for the X-men, but because of Marie, and dear god, he was glad he had. 'Whatch sneering about Logan? You're looking pretty damned steamed, even for you'.  
'Oh, just that damned Cajun, Remy, you know, the new guy.'   
'Oh sure, I met him last night when me, Bobby and Jubilee were playing basketball,he just walked on over and invited himself to play with us,damn rude ah thought, but he aint bad at all. Quite a nice guy actually, you might wanna talk to him before making any observations sugah.' Logan felt like screaming. Marie LIKED this gumbo swilling punk? It was all he could do to stop himself popping his claws and running after Remy like an animal.  
'I don't need to talk to him Marie,I can smell treachery, and he reeks of it bub.'  
'Whatever you say sugah' sighed Marie, chewing on a carrot stick. 'Whatever you say'   
  
A month later, Marie, or for tonight, Rogue, sat apprehensively on the edge of her bed. Her slim frame was clad in a leather X-men uniform, clinging to her body like lycra. It was heavier than she had expected, but far more comfortable, and not sweltering like she had imagined. It certainly accentuated her shape, and she could see the curves she had developed since she had become a part of the Xavier Institute. Her bust had swelled to a reasonable size, and she was now in possession of an hourglass waist. She smiled to herself as she pulled her long chestnut hair into a chignon, wrapping the white streak around the twist. She rather liked the streak in her hair, it made her look different. At home, she had hated being different, a freak, a mutant…but here, compared to many, she was almost normal. It was nice to stand out in a way. She glanced at her clock. 8pm.time for work.  



End file.
